Art Prints

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Lush Green Spring!


Cerulean Warbler
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Grassy fields in search of Sparrows
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Chestnut-sided Warbler
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Mer Bleue Bard Walk
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Mer Bleue Bard Walk
Thursday May 24:
It was a fantastic morning with blue skies and bright sunshine.
We went to the grassy fields south of Ottawa to explore the open habitats around Ottawa International Airport.
Not surprisingly, we had all our target sparrows such as Grasshopper, Field, Clay-coloured and Vesper Sparrow. We also had Eastern Bluebird, Bobolink, Indigo Bunting and Brown Thrasher.
After the fields we ventured out to Mer Bleue for even more targets such as Yellow Palm Warbler, Lincoln and Swamp Sparrow. While observing a Swamp Sparrow, we enjoyed a Sandhill Crane and three  Broad-winged Hawks fly over.
  1. Alder Flycatcher
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. Baltimore Oriole
  6. Barn Swallow
  7. Black & White Warbler
  8. Black-capped Chickadee
  9. Blue Jay
  10. Bobolink
  11. Broad-winged Hawk
  12. Brown Thrasher
  13. Brown-headed Cowbird
  14. Canada Goose        
  15. Chestnut-sided Warbler
  16. Chipping Sparrow
  17. Clay-colored Sparrow
  18. Common Grackle
  19. Common Yellowthroat
  20. Eastern Bluebird
  21. Eastern Kingbird
  22. European Starling
  23. Grasshopper Sparrow
  24. Gray Catbird
  25. Great Blue Heron
  26. Great-crested Flycatcher
  27. Indigo Bunting
  28. Lincoln's Sparrow
  29. Mallard
  30. Mourning Dove
  31. Northern Flicker
  32. Northern Waterthrush
  33. Ovenbird
  34. Palm Warbler
  35. Purple Finch
  36. Red-tailed Hawk
  37. Red-winged Blackbird
  38. Ring-billed Gull
  39. Rock Pigeon
  40. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  41. Sandhill Crane
  42. Savannah Sparrow
  43. Scarlet Tanager
  44. Song Sparrow
  45. Swamp Sparrow
  46. Tree Swallow
  47. Turkey Vulture
  48. Vesper Sparrow
  49. White-throated Sparrow
  50. Wild Turkey
  51. Wood Thrush
  52. Yellow Warbler
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Scenery at Chaffey's Locks
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Golden-winged Warbler
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Yellow-throated Vireo
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Lush green forest at Chaffey's Locks
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Tony trying to squeak in Barred Owls...
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And guess what; there they were! Barred Owl
Saturday May 26:
We started bright and early for our carolinian adventure to Chaffey's Locks.
We had a hot and wonderful day exploring the area, where some of our best songbirds were Yellow-throated Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Black-billed Cuckoo, Cerulean & Golden Winged Warbler. On the raptor side we had several Red-shouldered Hawks, a few Broad-winged Hawks and Coopers Hawk.
But, the highlight of the day was seeing a Brewster's Warbler and on our last trail, we encountered 3 Barred Owls! It was an amazing site and a big surprise!
  1. American Crow
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Redstart
  4. American Robin
  5. American Kestrel
  6. Baltimore Oriole
  7. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
  8. Barn Swallow
  9. Barred Owl
  10. Black & White Warbler
  11. Black-billed Cuckoo
  12. Blackburnian Warbler
  13. Black-capped Chickadee
  14. Black-throated Green Warbler
  15. Bobolink
  16. Brewster's Warbler
  17. Broad-winged Hawk
  18. Canada Goose        
  19. Cedar Waxwing
  20. Cerulean Warbler
  21. Chimney Swift
  22. Chipping Sparrow
  23. Common Grackle
  24. Common Raven
  25. Common Yellowthroat
  26. Coopers Hawk
  27. Double-crested Cormorant
  28. Downy Woodpecker
  29. Eastern Bluebird
  30. Eastern Kingbird
  31. Eastern Meadowlark
  32. European Starling
  33. Gadwall
  34. Golden-winged Warbler
  35. Great Blue Heron
  36. Great-crested Flycatcher
  37. Green Heron
  38. Hairy Woodpecker
  39. House Finch
  40. Indigo Bunting
  41. Mallard
  42. Mourning Dove
  43. Nashville Warbler
  44. Northern Cardinal
  45. Northern Flicker
  46. Northern Waterthrush
  47. Osprey
  48. Ovenbird
  49. Pine Warbler
  50. Purple Finch
  51. Red-eyed Vireo
  52. Red-shouldered Hawk
  53. Red-winged Blackbird
  54. Ring-billed Gull
  55. Rock Pigeon
  56. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  57. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  58. Ruffed Grouse
  59. Savannah Sparrow
  60. Scarlet Tanager
  61. Song Sparrow
  62. Spotted Sandpiper
  63. Tree Swallow
  64. Turkey Vulture
  65. Warbling Vireo
  66. White-breasted Nuthatch
  67. White-throated Sparrow
  68. Wild Turkey
  69. Wilson's Snipe
  70. Yellow Warbler
  71. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  72. Yellow-throated Vireo
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Giant Swallowtail
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Hunting Lincoln's Sparrow at Mer Bleue
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Home sweet Home
Sunday May 27:
Another Sparrow day in the lush green area around Ottawa International Airport.
The weather was cooler this morning and the birds not so active. But we had great views of Field, Grasshopper, Clay-colored and Vesper Sparrow. In addition we had Brown Thrasher, Chestnut-sided Warbler,  Palm Warbler, Lincoln Sparrow, and just as we were leaving the parking lot at Mer Bleue, we had a Sandhill Crane fly over.
  1. Alder Flycatcher
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. Baltimore Oriole
  6. Black & White Warbler
  7. Black-capped Chickadee
  8. Blue Jay
  9. Bobolink
  10. Brown Thrasher
  11. Brown-headed Cowbird
  12. Canada Goose        
  13. Chestnut-sided Warbler
  14. Chipping Sparrow
  15. Clay-colored Sparrow
  16. Common Raven
  17. Common Yellowthroat
  18. Double-crested Cormorant
  19. Eastern Kingbird
  20. European Starling
  21. Field Sparrow
  22. Grasshopper Sparrow
  23. Gray Catbird
  24. Great-crested Flycatcher
  25. House Wren
  26. Indigo Bunting
  27. Killdeer
  28. Lincoln's Sparrow
  29. Mallard
  30. Mourning Dove
  31. Nashville Warbler
  32. Northern Flicker
  33. Ovenbird
  34. Palm Warbler
  35. Pileated Woodpecker
  36. Purple Martin
  37. Red-eyed Vireo
  38. Red-tailed Hawk
  39. Red-winged Blackbird
  40. Ring-billed Gull
  41. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  42. Sandhill Crane
  43. Song Sparrow
  44. Swamp Sparrow
  45. Tree Swallow
  46. Turkey Vulture
  47. Veery
  48. Vesper Sparrow
  49. Warbling Vireo
  50. White-throated Sparrow
  51. Wild Turkey
  52. Yellow Warbler
  53. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
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Great-crested Flycatcher
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Britannia Point, scouting Bonaparte Gulls

Tuesday May 29:
We had a good day today at Britannia and Mud Lake. The promised rain kept away all morning, and we had clear skies, although a bit humid.
We had several warblers, such as Magnolia, Nashville, Black & White, Black-throated Green, Yellow and Blackpoll Warbler.
There were Black-crowned Night Herons everywhere, and we also saw a couple of Great Egrets.
The cutest sight was when a female Hooded Merganser with her many chicks swam by a female Wood Duck, also with her chicks.

  1. Alder Flycatcher
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Redstart
  5. American Robin
  6. Baltimore Oriole
  7. Belted Kingfisher
  8. Black & White Warbler
  9. Black-capped Chickadee
  10. Black-crowned Night Heron
  11. Blackpoll Warbler
  12. Black-throated Green Warbler
  13. Bonaparte's Gull
  14. Canada Goose        
  15. Cedar Waxwing
  16. Common Grackle
  17. Common Merganser
  18. Common Raven
  19. Common Tern
  20. Common Yellowthroat
  21. Double-crested Cormorant
  22. Downy Woodpecker
  23. Eastern Kingbird
  24. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  25. European Starling
  26. Gray Catbird
  27. Great Blue Heron
  28. Great Egret
  29. Great-crested Flycatcher
  30. Green Heron
  31. Hairy Woodpecker
  32. Herring Gull
  33. Hooded Merganser
  34. House Finch
  35. Least Flycatcher
  36. Magnolia Warbler
  37. Mallard
  38. Mourning Dove
  39. Nashville Warbler
  40. Northern Cardinal
  41. Pied-billed Grebe
  42. Pine Warbler
  43. Red-breasted Nuthatch
  44. Red-eyed Vireo
  45. Red-winged Blackbird
  46. Ring-billed Gull
  47. Song Sparrow
  48. Spotted Sandpiper
  49. Tree Swallow
  50. Warbling Vireo
  51. Wood Duck
  52. Yellow Warbler 
Let the Sunshine in!

All excursions organized by Always An Adventure

Next weekend we're off to Algonquin Park

Stay tuned & enjoy the warming season!

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Friday, May 4, 2012

Spring is Finally Here!


Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Saturday 28 April:
We started the morning at Petrie Island.
It was beautiful sunshine with a crisp spring wind coming from north-west.
Song Sparrows were singing everywhere and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were drumming from several places.
The short trail around the island revealed Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Winter Wren.
After our obligatory stop at Timmy's we went driving around, and on our journey we saw Greater Yellowlegs, Sandhill Crane, Bald Eagle, Barn & Tree Swallow, several sparrows and other songbirds.
All in all we ended up with 52 species on this glorious day.

  1. American Black Duck
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Robin
  4. American Tree Sparrow
  5. Bald Eagle
  6. Barn Swallow
  7. Belted Kingfisher
  8. Black-capped Chickadee
  9. Blue Jay
  10. Brown Creeper
  11. Brown-headed Cowbird
  12. Bufflehead
  13. Canada Goose        
  14. Chipping Sparrow
  15. Common Grackle
  16. Common Merganser
  17. Common Moorhen
  18. Common Raven
  19. Double-crested Cormorant
  20. Downy Woodpecker
  21. European Starling
  22. Great Blue Heron
  23. Greater Yellowlegs
  24. Green-winged Teal
  25. Hairy Woodpecker
  26. House Finch
  27. House Sparrow
  28. Killdeer
  29. Mallard
  30. Mourning Dove
  31. Northern Flicker
  32. Northern Harrier
  33. Osprey
  34. Red-tailed Hawk
  35. Red-winged Blackbird
  36. Ring-billed Gull
  37. Ring-necked Duck
  38. Rock Pigeon
  39. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  40. Sandhill Crane
  41. Savannah Sparrow
  42. Song Sparrow
  43. Tree Swallow
  44. Turkey Vulture
  45. White-breasted Nuthatch
  46. White-throated Sparrow
  47. Wild Turkey
  48. Wilson's Snipe
  49. Winter Wren
  50. Wood Duck
  51. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  52. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Female Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Male Wood Duck, Photo Courtesy Roger Cobbledick
Sunday 29 April:
The weather was very much the same as on Saturday, although a little bit milder in the morning.
We met at Andrew Haydon Park and did a small stroll around the park including the beach.
We then went to the Grandview Trail where we had Eastern Towhee, Brown Trasher and a beautiful singing male White-throated Sparrow.
After a short hike, we went driving around the near by area and encountered several Red-tailed Hawks, 4 Broad-winged Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Eastern Bluebird and White-winged Scoter, to mention a few.


  1. American Crow
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Robin
  4. American Kestrel
  5. Barn Swallow
  6. Black-capped Chickadee
  7. Broad-winged Hawk
  8. Brown Creeper
  9. Brown-headed Cowbird
  10. Bufflehead
  11. Canada Goose        
  12. Cedar Waxwing
  13. Common Grackle
  14. Common Raven
  15. Dark-eyed Junco
  16. Double-crested Cormorant
  17. Downy Woodpecker
  18. Eastern Bluebird
  19. Eastern Meadowlark
  20. Eastern Phoebe
  21. Eastern Towhee
  22. European Starling
  23. Great Blue Heron
  24. Hooded Merganser
  25. House Sparrow
  26. Lesser Scaup
  27. Mallard
  28. Mourning Dove
  29. Northern Cardinal
  30. Northern Flicker
  31. Northern Harrier
  32. Pied-billed Grebe
  33. Red-tailed Hawk
  34. Red-winged Blackbird
  35. Ring-billed Gull
  36. Rock Pigeon
  37. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  38. Sharp-shinned Hawk
  39. Song Sparrow
  40. Swamp Sparrow
  41. Tree Swallow
  42. Turkey Vulture
  43. Virginia Rail
  44. White-breasted Nuthatch
  45. White-throated Sparrow
  46. White-winged Scoter
  47. Wild Turkey
  48. Wood Duck
  49. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Grandview Trail - Ottawa
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Male White-throated Sparrow
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Male Eastern Towhee
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Brown Thrasher
Tuesday 1st May:
We started the month with a spectacular day of birding. 
We had light drizzle, mild temperature and no wind.
Again, we started the morning hiking around Andrew Haydon Park.
It was a beautiful sight to see a bonded pair of Canada Geese with their 4 goslings hiding under the secure wing of one of their parents.
We then went to Shirley's Bay and took a little walk there before we hit the road.
We had a total of 66 species today, including American Bittern, Black & White Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, Common Moorhen, Eastern Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Horned Grebe and Ruffed Grouse.

  1. American Bittern
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. American Tree Sparrow
  6. Barn Swallow
  7. Belted Kingfisher
  8. Black & White Warbler
  9. Black-capped Chickadee
  10. Blue Jay
  11. Brown Creeper
  12. Brown Thrasher
  13. Bufflehead
  14. Canada Goose        
  15. Cedar Waxwing
  16. Common Goldeneye
  17. Common Grackle
  18. Common Merganser
  19. Common Moorhen
  20. Common Raven
  21. Double-crested Cormorant
  22. Downy Woodpecker
  23. Eastern Bluebird
  24. Eastern Meadowlark
  25. European Starling
  26. Field Sparrow
  27. Gadwall
  28. Great Blue Heron
  29. Greater Scaup
  30. Hairy Woodpecker
  31. Hermit Thrush
  32. Herring Gull
  33. Hooded Merganser
  34. Horned Grebe
  35. Killdeer
  36. Lesser Scaup
  37. Mallard
  38. Mourning Dove
  39. Northern Cardinal
  40. Northern Flicker
  41. Northern Harrier
  42. Osprey
  43. Pileated Woodpecker
  44. Purple Finch
  45. Red-breasted Merganser
  46. Red-breasted Nuthatch
  47. Red-necked Grebe
  48. Red-winged Blackbird
  49. Ring-billed Gull
  50. Ring-necked Duck
  51. Rock Pigeon
  52. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  53. Ruffed Grouse
  54. Savannah Sparrow
  55. Song Sparrow
  56. Swamp Sparrow
  57. Tree Swallow
  58. Turkey Vulture
  59. Virginia Rail
  60. White-breasted Nuthatch
  61. White-throated Sparrow
  62. Wild Turkey
  63. Wilson's Snipe
  64. Wood Duck
  65. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  66. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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American Bittern
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Virginia Rail, Photo Courtesy Bill Bowman
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Virginia Rail Habitat
Thursday 3rd May:
With a hint of drizzle and no wind, it started out to be a very promising day at Petree Island.
Birds were actively singing all over the place, and we were awarded with 7 different species of warblers.
These were Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated green, Blackburnian, Magnolia, Nashville and Nothern Waterthrush.
Other gems today were Rough-winged Swallow, Green Heron, Blue-winged Teal and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

  1. American Black Duck
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. Bald Eagle
  6. Barn Swallow
  7. Belted Kingfisher
  8. Blackburnian Warbler
  9. Black-capped Chickadee
  10. Black-throated Green Warbler
  11. Blue-winged teal
  12. Brown Creeper
  13. Brown Thrasher
  14. Brown-headed Cowbird
  15. Bufflehead
  16. Canada Goose        
  17. Chipping Sparrow
  18. Common Grackle
  19. Common Loon
  20. Common Merganser
  21. Double-crested Cormorant
  22. Downy Woodpecker
  23. Eastern Bluebird
  24. Eastern Meadowlark
  25. Eastern Phoebe
  26. European Starling
  27. Great Blue Heron
  28. Green Heron
  29. Green-winged Teal
  30. Hermit Thrush
  31. Hooded Merganser
  32. House Sparrow
  33. Killdeer
  34. Magnolia Warbler
  35. Mallard
  36. Merlin
  37. Mourning Dove
  38. Nashville Warbler
  39. Northern Flicker
  40. Northern Waterthrush
  41. Osprey
  42. Pileated Woodpecker
  43. Purple Finch
  44. Red-winged Blackbird
  45. Ring-billed Gull
  46. Rock Pigeon
  47. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  48. Rough-winged Swallow
  49. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  50. Rusty Blackbird
  51. Savannah Sparrow
  52. Song Sparrow
  53. Spotted Sandpiper
  54. Tree Swallow
  55. Turkey Vulture
  56. Virginia Rail
  57. Warbling Vireo
  58. White-breasted Nuthatch
  59. White-throated Sparrow
  60. Wilson's Snipe
  61. Winter Wren
  62. Wood Duck
  63. Yellow Warbler
  64. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  65. Yellow-rumped Warbler
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Rough-winged Swallow
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Petrie Island
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Red-tailed Hawk (see under how it was captured), Photo Courtesy Tony Beck
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Capturing and viewing Red-tailed Hawk

All excursions organized by:

We are now taking a 14 days break in our local program, to go to Point Pelee with Road Scholar.
See you at the end of May ~

Happy Spring Birding!